Fuse holder



April 9, 1935. R. v SMYTHE ET AL FUSE HOLDER Filed April 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 9, 1935.

R. L. SMYTHE El AL FUSE HOLDER Filed April 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nventors Patented Apr. 9, i935 IVUNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE FUSE HOLDER Robert L. Smythe and Alwin G. Steinmayer,

Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Line Material Company, South Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware im utatio April 11, 1932, SerialNo. 604,426 Claims. (01. 200-134) This invention relates to fuse holders, and alcomprises a channel-shaped metal base member I though it may be used with different types of upon which are mounted the outwardly projectfuses, it is particularly applicable to holders for ing insulators 2 and 3. These insulators carry liquid fuses. the terminal plates or members 4 and 5.

5- This invention provides a novel form of holder The upper and lower clamping members may 5 which obtains a very secure grip upon the two be of substantially identical construction if decontacts of the fuse and thus mechanically holds sired, or may be slightly different, as has been the fuse in place in a very secure manner, and indicated in Figure l. in addition to this secures a very firm contact Each of the clamping members comprises a pressure and a very extensive face to face conpair of spring jaws or contact members 6 which 10 tact between the terminal portions of the holder are preferably integrally joined by the yoke porand the contacts of the fuse, thus securing an tion I. These jaws are also advantageously proexcellent electrical connection with the termivided with outwardly turned guiding lips 8 to fanal contacts of the fuse. v cilitate the insertion of the terminal portions or Further. objects are to provide a fuse holder contacts of the fuse. The terminal portions or 15 which is so made that the fuse may be readily contacts of the fuse are indicated at 9 and I!) inserted in the holder and a pressure applying in Figure 1, and each contact portion or termeans operated to thereafter secure a relatively minal portion is provided with a flat face respechigh contact pressure between the terminals or tively indicated at H and I2. These flat faces contact members of the holder and the terminals are placed in face to face contact with the op- 20 or contact members of the fuse, the apparatus beposed faces of the spring jaws 6. It is also pref ing so made that this pressure may be readily reerable to provide a small protuberance l 3 or lieved to permit the easy removal or replacement bulge upon eachspring jaw 6 to aid in retaining of the fuse, a certain amount of spring pressure the fuse in position immediately after insertion being maintained at all times to prevent the inand prior to the application of the clamping 25 advertent dropping of the fuse from the holder pressure thereto. Also there is a sort of snap during the period of insertion or removal. action as the fuse is pressed into place, as will Further objects are to provide a construction be readily appreciated, so that there is a tendwhich is very simple, which is inexpensive to ency to insure pushing of the fuse all the way make, and which is easy to operate. into place during insertion. Further, these pro- 30 Embodiments of the invention are shown in tuberances l3 afford a slight additional security the accompanying drawings, in which:-- against displacement of the fuse after it is Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts in secclamped in place. tion, showing a fuse in position in the holder. A pressure member carrying yoke is provided 35. Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 and may consist of apair of upwardly extending of Figure 1. arms I! located on opposite sides of the contact Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2, arms 6, see Figure 2. with parts in section, showing a further form of This yoke or bracket member is formed of relathe invention. tively heavy sheet metal and preferably formed Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line E-- i of as one integral structure, although obviously this 40 Figure 3. identical construction could be varied, as de- Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a fursired. This yoke member or bracket member is ther form of the. invention. provided with inwardly turned feet or support- Figure 6 is a side elevation of the structure ing portions l5 and these portions are clamped in shown in Figure 5. place against the terminal member or plate 4 by 45 Figure 7 is a fragmentary view showing a furmeans of screws l6, such screws passing through ther form of the invention. the yoke l of the contact members or spring Figure 8 is a side elevation of the structure arms 6, as clearly shownin Figure 2. shown in Figure 7. It is also preferable to provide an apron por- Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of a further tion I I integral with the arms l4 and arched 50 form of the invention. inwardly, as indicated at l8, to aid in correctly Figure 10 is a fragmentary view of a further positioning the fuse and also to give strength to form of the invention. the structure. This apron portion is preferably Referring to the drawings, particularly Figprovided with an indentation or inwardly pressed 5 ures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the fuse holder portion l9 which is located directly rearwardly of the terminals or contacts 9 and ID of the fuse to thus provide a stop against which these contacts 9 and I may bear to correctly position the fuse with reference to the arms 6.

A short screw member or pressure applying member 20 is threaded through each of the arms l4 and is provided with a bearing head 2| preferably swiveled to the shank portion and engaging the corresponding spring arms 6. These pressure applying members or screws 20 are reversely threaded and are simultaneously operated by means of a bail or operating member 22. A simple construction is to form this operating member 22 of relatively stiff wire or rod bent, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and to pass the ends thereof through transverse apertures in the shanks 20 and to slightly rivet or swell the extreme ends of the bail as indicated at 23 in Figure 1.

Also, if desired, the bail 22 may be so bent that it is arrested in final clamping position by the outwardly turned guiding lips 8 of the arms 6, although this is not wholly necessary, as the motion of the bail is arrested when suitable clamping pressure is obtained, as will be immediately appreciated,

It is preferable, however, to so adjust the apparatus that the fuse is locked in place with a very firm contact pressure when the bails 22 stand in about the position shown in Figure 1. They, therefore, form loops aproximately around the ends of the fuse when in this position, but do not approach each other and therefore do not lessen the gap between the terminals of the fuse.

When it is desired to relieve the pressure, it is merely necessary to rock the bails 22 in opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, the shanks 20 of the pressure applying members being suitably threaded to permit this mode of operation.

The lower clamping member is substantially identical with the upper clamping member. However, it may be desirable to provide a rest plate or bottom plate 24, see Figures 1 and 2, which assists in the positioning of the fuse, and in addition offers additional support against downward motion of the fuse during the blowing thereof. Obviously the plate 24 may have its outer portion slightly downturned or bevelled, as shown in Figure 1, to further facilitate insertion of the fuse.

Before describing the several forms of this invention it is to be noted particularly that the bottom plate 24 may be employed or may be omitted with any form of the invention.

Referring to the form shown in Figures 3'and 4, it will be seen that substantially the same principle is employed. In this form of the invention, however, the yoke member 25 is preferably channel-shaped and provided with an apron 26 on each side. This, of course, gives additional rigidity and this structure may be formed of sheet metal, as in the first form of the invention, or may be cast if desired. Obviously the same practice could be followed with reference to the first form of the invention described hereinabove.

In this latter form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4 the clamping arms are indicated by the reference character 21 and are operated by means of the bail or operating member 28 through the medium of the threaded shanks 29 provided with the swiveled bearing heads 30, all as previously described. A slightly different bottom supporting plate 3| has been shown, although this, of course, may be varied as required.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures and 6 a single shaft 32 extends completely through the device and receives the end of the manipulating bail v33. Its ends are reversely threaded through the pressure applying members 34. These members 34 are provided with inwardly turned ends 35 which bear against the spring arms 36. The inner ends of the members 34 are apertured and receive the projecting nibs or ears 31 of the bar or member 33, such latter member and the yoke 39 of the spring arms 36 being secured to the plate 5 as shown.

In the operation of this form of the invention it is apparent that when the shaft or pressure applyingmember 32 is rotated in the proper direction, the members 34 will rock about the shoulders 40 of the bar 38 and their inturned ends 35 will press the arms 36 towards each other, thus applying the requisite pressure to the contacts of the fuse.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures '7 and 8 substantially the same construction as that described in connection with Figures 5 and 6 is employed. However, the spring arms 4| are provided with slots or notches at their outer ends through which extensions 42 formed integrally with the members 43 are passed. The extensions 42 are provided with inwardly directed portions which move inwardly beyond the outline of the contacts of the fuse and thus prevent the removal of the fuse, even if force sufilcient to overcome the frictional pressure is applied to the fuse. However, it is to be noted that in all forms of the invention the bails somewhat guard against the complete removal of the fuse, even if force sufficient to overcome the frictional contact was imparted to the fuse, as the bails somewhat overlap the ends of the fuse.

Returning to Figures '7 and 8, it will be seen that the members 43 are pivoted upon the bar 38 in a manner identically similar to that described inconnection with Figures 5 and 6. The members 43 are provided with inwardly turned portions 48, which are clearly shown in Figures '7 Iand 8, and which bear against the spring arms 4 In the form of the invention shown in Figure 9 the same idea is employed as that described in connection with Figures 5 and 6, with, however, the exception that the spacing members or supporting members for the levers 49 are formed integrally with the spring arms 50. This is readily accomplished by striking a tongue 5| outwardly from each spring arm 50, as shown in Figure 9, and using these outwardly struck or outwardly projecting portions 5| as the supporting members for the levers 49.

Figure 10 carries the idea described in connection with Figure 9 one step farther as it eliminates the necessity for forming additional supporting members for the levers 52. Instead each lever 52 is provided with an inwardly turned shouldered portion 53 and with an inwardly projecting tongue or nib 54, which latter in each case passes through an aperture formed. in the spring arms 55.

It will be seen that with each form of the invention means are provided for causing the gripped by the holder and consequently displacement of the fuse in the normal operation thereof is prevented.

It will be seen further that the device is very simple, that it is eminently practical, that it is easy to operate, that it allows the ready positioning or removal of the fuse as the heavy contact pressure is relieved during this operation, but which provides means for applying this heavy or secure contact pressure when the fuse has been positioned.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed.

We claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a fuse having contact terminals, a pair of clamping jaws for each contact terminal, pressure applying screw means for forcing the jaws of each pair towards each otherto tightly clamp the contact terminals of said fuse, and a bail for operating said screw means, said bail when in the released position allowing the easy positioning and removal of said fuse. 1

2. In a fuse structure, the combination of a fuse having anupper and alower contactterminal, two pair of clamping jaws for receiving the said contact terminals, one pair of jaws being located above the other pair of jaws to hold said fuse in a substantially upright position, and pressure applying screw means for forcing the jaws into binding engagement with the contact terminals of said fuse, whereby a secure electrical contact is obtained between said jaws and said contact terminals, the lower pair of said clamping jaws having a supporting member associated therewith to engage the bottom part of the lower terminal of said fuse below the lower pair of clamping jaws and independent of said pressure applying means and of said clamping jaws.

3. In a fuse structure, a fuse having terminal contacts, clamping means for'engaging said terminal contacts, and two reversely threaded pressure applying means for each clamping means for forcing said clamping means into binding engagement with said terminal contacts, said pressure applying means being distinct and separate from said fuse and being mechanically out of contact with each other.

4. In a fuse structure, a body portion, a pair of spaced insulators, terminal members carried by said insulators, a pair of clamping jaws carried by each terminal member, a fuse having spaced terminal contacts fitting between said jaws, and mechanically distinct screw means for each jaw for forcing said jaws towards each other to tightly bind the terminal contacts of said fuse, said screw means being out of contact with each other.

5. In a fuse structure, a fuse having spaced terminal contacts, clamping means for engaging said terminal contacts, reversely threaded means for forcing said clamping means into binding engagement with said terminal contacts, and a bail for operating said reversely threaded means.

ROBERT L. SMY'I'HE. ALWIN' G. STEINMAYER. 

